Dumping car construction



May 15, 1934- J. PURCELI. ET Al. 1,958,549

DUMPING CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 18, 1932 h--w-a" Patented May 15, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DUMPING CAR CONSTRUCTION John Purcell, Chicago, Ill., and Henry E. Muclmic, Atchison, Kans.

Our invention relates to the construction of metal doors for railway cars of the bottom dumping or drop bottom type; and the principal object of the invention is to provide a rigid and strong v# construction without excessive weight, whereby a smooth unbroken surface is provided and wherein one of the longitudinal edges of the door is so formed as to hingedly or swingingly connect it to the car frame or portion secured to the car 19 underframe without presenting a crevice or opening between the door and the car frame for escape of any granular lading in the car; that is to say, one end of the door constitutes one of the hinge members.

A further object of the invention is to provide a dumping door construction wherein the free or swinging longitudinal end of the door will form a lapping relation with the car body, while the main portion of the door will extend flush with the car body.

Another object of the invention is to provide a,

door construction wherein the hinge connection is so formed that lodgment or retention of foreign matter in the hinge portion will be prevented.

The objects and advantages of our invention will all be readily comprehended from the detailed description of the exemplications shown in the drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the car bottom and of a door construction according to our invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, with an intermediate portion broken away and illustrating a portion of a car frame; the View being taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail cross-sectional view of the hinged end of a door section showing a modification.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 4 as viewed by the arrows.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of a door and bracket or center sill member, disclosing a modification of hinge means.

In the particular embodiment of the invention as disclosed in the first three figures of the drawing, a portion of the car bottom frame is shown and consisting of the transversely extending portions 10, 10 united at the ends by the longitudinally extending side portion 12; and the other end of the door opening at the ends of the portions 10, 10, formed by the longitudinally extending portion 13; these frame portions being arranged on each side of the longitudinal centerline of the car to provide a plurality of door openings, each of which is provided with a swingingly mounted panel or drop bottom door 14. The outer sides of these car bottom frames are generally supported on the lower flange of the car side sill 15 as shown in Figure 2.

Our improved door construction, for purposes of exemplication, is shown applied to what is termed as a side bottom drop or dumping type of car, namely a type wherein the doors are arranged transversely of the car with the ends disposed adjacent to the longitudinal sill or center line of the car pivotally secured in place.

The door 14 is preferably of a single piece of metal, which may be cast or otherwise formed with the inner end curled upon itself or formed with a round bead or edge as shown at 16 in Figure 2. This bead or curled portion preferably extends throughout the width of the door, namely throughout the inner end thereof, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, with the curl preferably dispose toward the lower side of the door panel.

The two longitudinal side margins of the door are preferably made to slope downwardly and flare outwardly as shown at 17, 17, see Figure 3, in order to match the outwardly beveled edges or perimeters of the car bottom frame members 10, as shown at 18 in Figure 3 and thereby provide a snug t of the door panel into the frame opening and as a result provide a smooth bottom surface for the car and a juncture which will prevent escape or sifting of granular lading therethrough.

The free ends of the door panels 14 are likewise beveled or flanged downwardly and outwardly, as shown at 19 in Figure 2; and portions of the beveled ilange extended laterally to provide the latching portions 20.

In the exemplication, the longitudinal car bottom frame portion 13 is shown in the nature of a pedestal or bracket element 21, see Figure 2, which is adapted to rest on and preferably secured to the center sills of the car under frame; the bracket element having a flat bottom portion 22 and a top portion 23 united with the bottom portion 22 by one or more vertical web portions 24.

One longitudinal edge of the pedestal or bracket element 21, either throughout its length or preferably at longitudinally spaced apart points adjacent to the sides of the door opening, is socketed as shown at 25, see Figure 2, by dishing or concaving the longitudinal edge and by providing the top surface 23 with the arcuate extensions or socket overhanging arcuate lips 26.

The sockets 25 are of transverse dimensions somewhat greater than the diameter of the curled edge or bead 16 o1 the door panel, while the distance between the ends of upper lips 26 and the lower lip portions 27 of the sockets is somewhat less than the size of the bead or curled portion 16 so as to prevent lateral withdrawal of the beaded end of the door through the opening between lips 26 and 27. The ball-and-socket hinge construction permits the door panel to swing downwardly into the dotted line position shown in Figure 2 when the door is released for dumping the car load; the hinged end of the door resting against the bottom of the pedestal and the side of the center sill of the'car underframe.

On the other hand, it is apparent that withdrawal of the door from the socket during normal movement of the door is impossible, as the door can only be removed by sliding it lengthwise of the socket. In other words, the beaded or ballend of the door panel must be endwisely inserted and removed from the socket.

In order to prevent the door from accidentally shifting transversely or becoming displaced while in open position, the socket portion or lips 26, 27 of the bracket at opposite sides is shown provided with holes intended to receive suitable pins, as at 28, 28, in Figure 1.

In Figures 4 and 5 we disclose a modication in so far as the socketed portion or member 29 is concerned.

This bracket member or center sill element 29 has a socket formed as heretofore described to receive the rolled edge or end 16 of the door panel 14, While the socket forming portion 30 is provided with one or more slots or openings 31 arranged in the bottom of the socket as shown so as to permit escape of moisture, sand, or any foreign matter that might nd lodgement in the socket; although the construction is such that solid matter cannot readily enter therein. Like in the previously described structure, the socketed portion of the bracket is preferably provided with holes to receive suitable pins as at 28 to prevent accidental longitudinal movement of the door; the pins being located adjacent to the ends but in no way interfering with the swinging movement'of the door; the dropped position of which is shown in dotted lines in Figure 4.

In Figure 6, which is merely a sectional View of the hinged end of a door, we illustrate a modification of the manner of forming the hinge connection. A portion of the door is shown at 14a, having its inner end curled back, preferably toward the bottom as shown at 32; while the bracket member 33 adjacent its upper longitudinal side is formed with an arcuate socket 34 slightly larger than the transverse dimensions of the curled end 32 of the door 14a; the socket 34 being formed to provide an arcuate lower lip 35 which extends into a plane above the bottom of the socket 34; the socket also providing the upper lip portion 36 which extends horizontally and preferably terminates short of the vertical plane of lower lip 35.

With the end 37 of the curled portion of the door spaced from the main portion of the door to the extent disclosed, it is apparent that with the bracket member 33 and the door 14a positioned as shown in dotted lines in Figure 6, that the curled end of the door may be inserted into the socket 34 of the bracket member 33, as the tip of the curled flange portion can then readily pass through the opening between lips 35 and 36, as shown by the dotted line of the curled flange. Upon swinging the door upwardly from the dotted line position the curled flange will then be positioned at the bottom of the socket and therefore will be in a plane beneath that of the upwardly curled lip 35, thereby preventing horizontal withdrawal of the door.

For purposes of exemplication, we have chosen to show our new hinge construction as especially applicable to what is known as a drop bottom door, although it is apparent that the Vhinge construction inay be employed for otherwisely movable swinging car doors or car body sections.

Endwise movement of the door may be prevented in various ways, as for example by having the ends of the sockets in the bracket 33 closed or by the use of pins as shown in previous figures.

As is apparent from the drawing the use of 'separate lugs or hinge members on the doors' is eliminated, as the rolled end of the door itself constitutes one member of the ball-and-socket hinge; while at the same time the door is reenforced by the rolled or beaded end, whether rolled upwardly or downwardly upon itself. 'Ihis rolled or beaded end may have intermediate portions cut away if desired, although it is preferable to Y have the roll continuous throughout the width 100 of the door; and while We have described the socket portion of the hinge as being formed on a bracket supported on and attached to the center sill it is apparent that the center sills for n certain cars may be formed with the socket portion of the hinge.

With the door formed as shown and described with downwardly sloping side and end flanges or portions, a flush fit with the carframe about the door opening is provided and the full closed door iig position determined.

With our improved door construction the loss and breakage of hinge pins and hinge forming lugs is eliminated; and a smooth car bottom provided, while at the same time providing a strong- (1&5 er drop bottom door, which may be made of cast metal without excessive weight and which will be strong and rigid as the car load at the hinged ends of the doors will not be placed on hinge lugs and hinge pins as has heretofore been the case.

We have shown various embodiments of our invention as particularly applicable to drop bottom doors or swinging car body sections and have described the same in terms employed for purposes of description and not as terms of limita- T tion, as modifications may be made without, however, departing from the spirit of our invention.

What we claim is:

1. A dumping car construction involving a door provided with downwardly sloping marginal 1"30 flanges at the sides and an enlarged portion at one end substantially circular Vin cross-section adapted to constitute one element of a ball-andsocket hinge connection.

2. A dumping car construction involving a door having one end rolled backV into a substantially cylindrical flange to constitute a hinge portion; and immovable means disposed at the bottom of the car adjacent to the door-opening and provided with an annular socket adapted to receive the cylindrical iiange of the door, the socket'in its lower Wall having drain openings.

3. In a dumping car construction, a downwardly swinging door having one of its ends made substantially circular in cross-section and arranged on the lower side of the door so that the top face of the door is tangential to the circular section, and a frame member adjacent the door opening provided with an annular socket open at the door side with the top wall of the socket extending be- '15o with a downwardly sloping portion, and a frame member adjacent the door opening provided with an annular socket open at the door side with the top Wall of the socket extending beyond the vertical center line of the socket so that no vertical gap between the door and the frame member is produced when the door is opened.

J OI-IN PURCELL.

HENRY E. MUCHNIC. 

